Does the fur on your cat make for the most significant portion of weight they carry?
Why cannot
I fatten up a cat?
If pesky
thoughts as these ever find a place in your mind, it is sure that your cat's
weight is a significant concern for you.
Whether it
is due to your cat's age or breed, an underweight cat is a cause of concern for
all feline parents. The balanced weight is as important for cats as for human
beings. Undernourishment forms the central point behind a skinny cat from being
a stray breed to the Persian beauty.
However,
your cat can still gain the extra pounds with the right cat's appetite to tilt the scale in favor of a fit and
healthy side.
Why can't Your Cat Gain Weight Even After Getting Proper Kitten Food?
Unless you
want your cat to become the Ultimate Fighting Champion, you must know why you
need to fatten up a cat. Weight gain makes all the difference between a healthy
cat and an overweight feline.
In fact,
not knowing about the essential nutrients your cat needs can be detrimental to
its overall health. To see the reason behind your pet's weight, you must find
out the underlying medical conditions with your feline friend.
Thyroid Gland Issues
The
speedier your car goes, the faster is the fuel exhaustion. It's the same with
most cats.
As soon as
the cats start getting older, their thyroid gland starts acting up. Your feline
friend needs Thyroxine-A secretions from its glands. Senior cats start showing
ailments in their thyroid gland, limiting the secretion.
With
lesser secretion, your cat's metabolism will shoot up and exhaust more fuel,
i.e., fat from its body. Higher metabolism makes the cat gain weight difficult.
Intestinal Parasites
Worms are
going to take up your cat's share of nutrition.
The
intestinal parasites latch on to your cat's tract and gulp down all the
nutrients from their healthy appetite. If your cat is too skinny, taking the
stool to a vet can confirm your worm worries and treat them accordingly.
Tapeworms are the most common worms that veterinary medicine can easily flush
out of your cat's system.
Extra Calories Expenditure
It feels
blissful to see your ball of fur hopping from one end of the sofa to another.
Your cats are brimming with energy and will use up more calories with their
hyperactivity. It's prevalent for the felines to be super active.
However,
you need to ensure that your cats get nutritional supplements to match the
spending. Your cat's food bowl requires a sumptuary higher calorie food with
dietary supplements.
Miscellaneous Reasons
If you
have more than one cat, it's very much possible that the dominant feline is
taking up the food share of your skinny cat. Moreover, your cat might be going through a stressful season or getting older. Both of these reasons
form plausible reasons for your cat's weight loss.
Cats tend
to react strongly to being unwell or bored with food by losing their appetite.
If your cat foods catalogue carries just canned food, the absence of diversity
can be a reason for the weight loss.
What Can You Do To Help Your Cat Gain Weight?
No one can
bear to watch their feline friend dreary-eyed and with a lean body.
Not only
can the weight loss make your cat weak, but it also takes away the happiness
from your house. That's why it's almost mandatory for you to dive deeper into
the cause behind your underweight cat.
Once
you've figured out the reasons with your veterinary's help, you can start
working on your cat's appetite for weight gain.
Here's how
you can chub up your feline buddy!
Choose Canned Kitten Food
If you
ever wondered whether kitten foods are good for your skinny kitten, the answer
is a resounding Yes!
Not only
do the cats need balanced food, but you also can remain worry-free about taking
care of nutritional supplements. The foods such as high-protein cat kibble will
add to the micronutrition requirements.
Choosing
the right canned food is essential when your cat needs to gain weight. You
can't go through the hassle of getting the food and pouring it into different
bowls. You need to ensure that the food comes in an appropriate microwavable
container.
Prefer Wet Food Over Dry Cat Food
When
you've to feed a creature as picky as your cats, you need to cater to their
taste buds as well.
Cats
prefer wet food over dry food. It makes a choice really easy for you since dry
cat food contains less protein and more carbohydrates.
If you aim
to fatten up your skinny cat facing poor appetite, you must prefer wet food
over dry kibble.
Bring In Homemade Delicacies
As much as
you want to change your food routines, your cat might also benefit from the
homemade options.
You can
even serve warm food to your purr-buddy, like homemade unsalted chicken broth.
Moreover, cats love eggs, and you can benefit from a simple hack including the
same.
You can
cook up some scrambled eggs once in a while to bring a change in the taste buds
of your cat. Thoroughly cooked tuna or liver will definitely act as your cat's
appetite stimulants.
Granted,
you want to fatten up your cat but go slow. You don't want to turn it obese or
let your efforts go in vain.
Note: You
should keep raw eggs at bay from your kitten food as it'll hamper the Vitamin B
absorption. Moreover, a homemade diet doesn't mean you can go overboard with
the pampering.
Adopt Frequent Meals
Your cat
might not be able to finish its food in one go. That's why including small
meals spread out over frequent intervals can help improve your cat's diet.
Cats are the creatures of discipline. Whether the stray cats or the rare
breed, you need to gradually move your way up the diet ladder and ensure your
cats eat small meals.
From
roasted chicken to skinless meat, your cat will take time to absorb and adapt
to animal protein meals.
Include Supplements for Your Cat to Gain Weight
While it's
admirable that you want your cat to gain weight naturally, supplements can
boost your efforts. You can include fish oil in adult cat food to enhance the
taste and overall health benefits.
Healthy cat
food rich in fish oil will improve the taste and ensure a healthy weight and
silkier cat feel.
Moreover,
you can prefer to go with appetite-stimulating medicine if your cat needs to
gain weight. Once you have tried out adding on the meals and supplements but to
no avail, appetite stimulants can do wonders.
If your
cat has lost its appetite, these stimulants will ensure an increase in the
hunger games. It's especially beneficial for older cats who can't eat enough
and face heavy weight loss.
Top Up With More Variety
Your cat
loves the food it can relish with your care. Your cat can throw tantrums and
lose weight if you do not include enough diversity in its diet. You can feed
skinless white meat or a homemade diet of dry kibble with fish oil garnishing.
Including
boiled eggs without salts and oil can be an excellent tastemaker for your cat
and prevent losing weight.
Note: You
can set the ball rolling by adding your food like anchovies as treats once your
cat finishes the set meals. Your cat will always appreciate a tasty reward!
Turn Kitten Food More Enjoyable
Cats are
critical, even of the surroundings that they eat their food in. Aging cats
might create a fuss over a change in the bowl or the environment they have
their food in. It's absolutely necessary for you to provide a comfortable spot
for your cat to enjoy the food.
If you
want the cat to gain weight, you must make the food absolutely delicious and
the eating ambiance purr-fect!
Soften the Kitten Food
Your
furball will lose weight, especially if it belongs to the category of senior
cats.
As the age
progresses, the risks of getting diseases enhance too. Your cat's weight loss
might be a symptom of different ailments such as kidney disease, dental
disease, and so on.
Dry food
makes it difficult to be chowed down with the problems. Your cat will require
special attention and softer food in situations like these.
Other than
mouth ulcers, weight loss, and diarrhea, kidney disease can be brutal on your
precious cat. Softer and wetter food help your cat digest the nutrition easily.
Some FAQs To Ease Your Mind!
One day
your feral friend gobbles down every tiny bit of the food, and the next day it
just stops eating altogether.
What
follows is a drastic weight loss that can alarm even the most carefree of cat
parents. It's evident for your mind to start bubbling with curiosity
considering you want to fatten up a cat.
Don't fret
anymore. These answers will guide you to fatten up a cat.
What can I
give my cat to gain weight?
The trick
is in adding more calories to your cat's diet. From human food such as yogurt
to canned cat food, you can feed your furball anything high on protein and a
bit low on carbohydrates.
Note:
Ensure that your cat doesn't have any intolerance or insensitivities towards a
particular food. A simple blood test will reveal the allergies it might have.
How can I make
my cat fat fast?
The answer
is small, frequent, yet delicious meals. The more your cat will savor the
calories, the easier it'd be to gain weight. You must keep a note of the body
condition score chart so that the cat remains in the healthy weight range.
Note: The
ideal weight range on the body condition chart is between 4 to 5.
Can I feed my
skinny cat kitten food?
Absolutely!
Kitten
food is one of the most nutrient-rich and calorie-dense, which is the perfect
balance to fatten up a cat. You need to ensure that you're slowly upping the
diet for your cat.
How can I
get my skinny cat to gain weight?
Nutrition
and preferences are the benchmarks for your felines. If you want to fatten up a
cat, you need to perfect the balance between the two.
Your cats
need to love the diet you're serving especially considering their health issues if any.
Final Verdict
Merely
holding the furballs warms up the heart. You can't bear the thought of seeing
them sick, let alone depressed or stressed. No matter how many tantrums they
throw, your cats cherish your company and your
care.
However,
you may notice a shift in their appetite every once in a while. Over time the
differences m become more significant with your cat's weight loss. Whether it's
due to the stress caused by a barking dog or a severe disease, you need to
inspect thoroughly.
With
proper dietary habits, regular checkups, and routine pampering, your cat stands
a chance to remove its skinny status. The more curious and careful you can be
about their protein and fat balance, the higher will be the likelihood of
getting fatter.
Even
though you want to shower them with all the love, attention, and care, you
should always be wary of the cat's ideal weight category.
With all
of this being said, weight gain is a slow process. What are you waiting for
now?
